Main Game

The object of the game was that of blackjack: come as close to 21 as possible without going over (or "busting"). As in blackjack, the cards from 2 to 10 were worth their face value; picture cards (Kings, Queens and Jacks) counted as 10 and Aces could count as either 1 or 11.

The host asked a series of questions to two married couples. The couple who buzzed in and answered the question correctly won control of the top card from a deck of over-sized (but otherwise regulation) playing cards. An incorrect answer gave the opposing couple a chance to respond and steal control of the card. The first card was shown face up at the beginning of each game, but each subsequent card was presented face down.

The couple who gained control of a card could either add it to their own hand or pass it to their opponents. After a couple received any card, whether by taking it for themselves or having it passed to them, they could elect to stick if they had a total of 12 or higher and were in the lead. Once a couple stuck, they could not answer any questions or receive any more cards for the remainder of that game; the opponents then answered up to three more questions in an attempt to best them, receiving a card after each correct answer. Sticking was not permitted if the scores were tied.

A couple could win a game in any of the following ways:

• Reaching 21 exactly. Doing so awarded the Gambit Jackpot, a cash prize that began at £200 and increased by £50 after each match in which it went unclaimed, to a maximum of £500.
• If their opponents busted.
• If they stuck and their opponents failed to exceed their total before either giving two incorrect answers or playing all three questions, whichever came first.
• If their opponents stuck and they exceeded that total without busting.

Each game won was worth £20. The first couple to win two games won the match and advanced to the bonus round.

The Gambit Board

The winning couple played the Gambit Board, which displayed numbers from 1 to 21 that had prizes hidden behind them. On each turn, the couple chose a number from 1 to 20, received the prize behind it, and had a card added to their hand. They could not choose #21, which concealed a group of star prizes.

The game could end in one of three ways:

• Choosing to stick, which allowed them to keep all prizes revealed to that point. A couple could stick if they feared that the next card would cause them to bust, or if they had found a desirable prize and did not want to risk losing it.
• Busting, which forfeited all prizes.
• Reaching 21 exactly, which allowed them to keep all revealed prizes and also gave a choice of the star prizes hidden behind #21.

Couples remained on the show until they were defeated in the main game, won a star prize, or played the Gambit Board twice. Prizes won from the board were removed from play in subsequent playings, along with their associated numbers. If a couple chose to stick, the next card would be dealt from the deck in order to learn whether they would have busted by playing on.